Bogong moths bounce back across eastern Australia
Citizen scientists report a massive return of bogong moths across eastern Australia this spring.
Observers on the iNaturalist platform have posted thousands of sightings showing the population explosion. Every single dot on the animated map represents a real sighting of one or more moths in the wild.
Researchers say observation numbers can vary based on effort, yet the data clearly shows a dramatic population increase. The moths once numbered in the billions and migrated to the Australian Alps to rest in cool caves every summer. They famously caused panic during the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony in the year 2000.
The species population declined slowly between 1980 and 2016 before crashing dramatically in the summer of 2017. Ken Green, an ecologist monitoring these insects for over four decades, stated that the severe Australian drought was likely the main cause. Pesticides and urban light pollution also contributed to the slower decline starting from the 80s.
After years of catastrophic decline, the recent surge of moths across eastern Australia is great news. This resurgence benefits the plants the insects pollinate and helps endangered species that depend on them survive. The mountain pygmy possum is one of the endangered species that relies on them for food.